Saturday, May 31, 2014
Big Wind: How Jet Engines on Tanks Put out Oil Fires [Videos]
By George Kennedy8 hours ago
On August 2, 1990, Saddam Hussein’s Iraqi Republican Guard invaded the small oil-producing nation of Kuwait. This resulted in the full wrath of the United States military and 33 other nations, with the execution of Operation Desert Storm. Iraqi forces were eventually overrun and outmatched, and in a final act of desperation, Saddam Hussein ordered that more than 700 oil wells be ignited.
The move was part of a scorched earth policy, while retreating from Kuwait in 1991. The images of U.S soldiers and military equipment operating next to thick black plumes of smoke have now become a lasting iconic image of Operation Desert Storm. And when the war was over, crews from around the world would have to go to work to put out these fires, which were destroying the ecosystem for hundreds of miles around them.
The tech-savvy gurus over at Gizmodo came across a documentary called The Fires of Kuwait, which chronicled the many incredible methods and machines used to put out the countless ignited oil wells.
Part of the documentary, which was shot in IMAX and narrated by Rip Torn, focussed on an inventive machine created by a team of Hungarians. In what sounds like a mishmash of Soviet military highlights, the team fixed decommissioned Mig jet-fighter engines on top of a Russian T-27 tank:
We find this machine impressive not just for the creativity, but for the simplicity. While the combination of jet engine and tank may be complex, the method of simply blowing out the fire like a candle is tactically quite simple– compared to the dynamics of killing a fire with dynamite!
Friday, May 30, 2014
How to Play Dynamic Middlegame Positions
Early this month, the recent Capablanca Memorial super-tournament was held in La Havana, Cuba and it featured elite players such as Ivanchuk, Dominguez, So, Almasi, Vallejo Pons, and Bruzon Batista. In the end, it was #1 Filipino player Wesley So who emerged victorious, not losing any games and performing at a 2826 level! In this blog, I will feature one of his wins in which he displayed effective dynamic piece play and a great ability to develop an initiative, placing his opponent under constant pressure in a complicated middlegame.
Almasi, Z. (2693) - So, W. (2731)
49th Capablanca Elite 2014 2014.05.12
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.Qg4 Qc7 8.Qxg7
Diagram #1
this is known as the Poisoned Pawn variation of the French Winawer, which can lead to double-egded positions like ones arising from the Botvinnik variation of the Semi-Slav.
8... Rg8 9.Qxh7 cxd4 10.Ne2 Nbc6 11.f4 dxc3 12.Qd3 d4 13.Ng3 Bd7 14.Be2
Here's another recent top-level game in this sharp line: 14.Rb1 O-O-O 15.Be2 Kb8 ( Nf5!? 16.Nxf5 exf5 17.O-O Be6 gives Black better chances of counterplay.) 16.O-O Bc8 17.Ne4 Nf5 18.a4 Ka8 19.Bf3 Nh4 20.Ba3 Qa5 21.Bd6 Nxf3+ 22.Qxf3 b6 23.Bc7 Bb7 24.Bxd8 Nxd8 25.Rf2 Qxa4 26.Qd3 Qc6 27.Re1 Qd5 28.Ree2 Rh8 29.Nf6 Qc5 30.Re1 Nc6 31.Rd1 a5 32.Ne4 Qd5 33.Nd6 f5 34.Rb1 Nb4 35.Qg3 d3 36.cxd3 c2 37.Rc1 Nxd3 38.Rfxc2 Nxc1 39.Rxc1 Qd2 40.Rf1 Bd5 41.h3 a4 42.Kh2 Qb2 43.Rd1 Bc6 44.Rd3 Rb8 45.Rc3 Bd5 46.Rc7 Qd2 47.Nb5 Rh8 48.Ra7+ Kb8 49.Rxa4 Qe2 50.Nd6 Qc2 51.Ra3 Qc5 52.Ra1 Qd4 53.Rc1 Qd2 54.Rb1 Bxg2 55.Qxg2 Qxf4+ 56.Kh1 Rh7 57.Qg8+ Kc7 58.Qxh7+ Kc6 59.Qb7+ 1-0 Karjakin,S 2756 -Nepomniachtchi,I 2721/ Beijing CHN 2013)
14... O-O-O 15.O-O Nf5!
Diagram #2
This is the best way to create pressure against White's position as eliminates White's blockade on the g-file and allows the c6-knight & d7-bishop to go to better squares.
16.Ne4 ( 16.Nxf5 exf5 17.Bf3 Be6)
16... Nce7 17.Nf6 Rg6 18.Nxd7 Rxd7 19.Bf3 Nd5 20.Rb1 Kb8 21.Be4 Rg8
Wesley's superb preparation has given him a good complex middlegame out of the opening.
22.a4 Qc6!? the beginning of an interesting and effective queen manuever. I like this idea a lot because it improves the worst-placed piece and maximizes the queen's potential.
Another possible way to continue was Nfe3 which could allow White to simplify the position a little bit. 23.Bxe3 dxe3 24.Qb5 ~~ but it may be Black who has to be more accurately or carefully due to his long-term weaknesses on e3 & c3.
23.a5 Qa4! 24.a6 b6 25.Rb3 Nde3 26.Ra3 Qb4 27.Rb3 Qa4 28.Ra3 Qb4 29.Rb3 Qe7!
Diagram #3
Black rejects the 2-move repetition and reveals his intention in this complex middlegame. Black intends to bring his queen to the kingside next move.
30.Bxe3
If 30.Rf2 Qh4! and if White tries to exchange off Black's attacking pieces now, 31.Bxf5
Diagram #4
What will you play here as Black?
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Having 3 pieces near the enemy king is normally a prerequisite for a successful attack: 31... Rxg2+ 32.Rxg2 Qe1+ 33.Qf1 Qxf1#.
Back to the game:
30... dxe3 31.Qxc3 e2 this move has to be carefully thought out as it can either fall into White's hands or wreak havoc in White's position because it opens up promotion-related tactical motifs!
32.Re1 Rd1 33.Bxf5
If 33.Rb1 Rc8 34.Qf3 Rxb1 35.Rxb1 Qb4!! 36.Rxb4 e1=Q+ 37.Qf1 Qxb4 -+.
33... Rc8 34.Qg3
A more stubborn defensive, but difficult move to find was 34.Qe3! making counter-threats and preventing the Black queen from joining the attack via c5, but ofcourse it has to be worked out tactically. Here's some critical analysis to portray the dynamic ideas for both sides:
34... Rxe1+ 35.Kf2
Diagram #5
35... Qd8! simultaneously protecting b6 and the rook on e1 with the help of tactics! (35... Rd1?! (35... Qh4+ 36.g3! ( 36.Qg3? 36... Qxg3+ 37.hxg3 Rc1 38.Kxe2 exf5 -+ )36... Qxh2+ 37.Kxe1 Qh1+ 38.Kxe2 exf5 39.Rc3 Qg2+ 40.Kd1 Qf1+ 41.Kd2 Qxa6 = ) 36.Kxe2 ( 36.Rxb6+? is not yet ready due to36... axb6 37.Qxb6+ Ka8 38.Be4+ Rd5! defends, and Black is a rook up for nothing.)36... Rd5 37.Be4! and White has strong compensation for the exchange because of his safer king/ insecure Black king, and passed pawns on the kingside.) 36.Bd3 ( 36.Rd3 ( 36.Kxe1 Qd1+ 37.Kf2 Qf1+ 38.Kg3 e1=Q+ -+ )36... Qh4+ 37.g3 ( 37.Qg3 Rc1 38.Kxe2 Qxg3 39.Rxg3 exf5)37... Qxh2+ 38.Kxe1 Qh1+ 39.Kxe2 Rxc2+ 40.Rd2 Qg2+ 41.Kd1 Qxd2+ 42.Qxd2 Rxd2+ 43.Kxd2 exf5
Diagram #6
with a winning king ending because Black has a better pawn structure e.g. 44.Ke3 ( 44.Kd3 Kc7 45.Kd4 Kc6 46.Kc4 b5+)44... Kc7 45.Kf3 Kd7 46.g4 fxg4+ 47.Kxg4 Ke6 48.Kf3 Kf5 49.Ke3 b5 50.Kf3 b4 51.Ke3 b3 and the passed b-pawn wins the game for Black!)36... Rh1 37.Bxe2 ( 37.Kxe2 Rxh2 -/+ )37... Rxh2 -/+. In conclusion, Black can still obtain better chances with accurate play.
Back to the game:
34... Qc5+ 35.Kh1 exf5
Diagram #7
The passed pawn on e2 is now White's nightmare.
36.Rb1 Qd5! making the simple threat of elimating the enemy defenders of the 8th rank. Notice that improving a placement of a piece can help a side in creating threats and give the enemy more problems.
37.h3
If 37.Kg1 Rd8 38.h3 Rxb1 39.Rxb1 Qd1+ 40.Qe1 Qxb1 41.Qxb1 Rd1+ -+.
37... Rd8 38.Kh2 Qe4 39.Qh4 R8d7 40.Rb3 Rxe1 41.Qh8+ ( 41.Qxe1 Rd1 -+ )
41... Kc7 42.Rc3+ Qc6
only move and a winning move!
43.Rxc6+ Kxc6 44.Qc8+ ( 44.Qa8+ Kb5! ( Kc5 45.Qc8+ Kb4 46.Qxd7 Rd1 47.Qxa7! and the game will most probably end in a draw because of various perpetual check possibilities.) 45.Qf3 Rh1+! 46.Kxh1 e1=Q+ -+ )
44... Rc7 45.Qa8+ Kc5 46.Qb8 Rc6 47.Qxa7 Rd1 a calm and effective winning move
47...Rh1+ 48.Kxh1 e1=Q+ 49.Kh2 is almost winning for Black but it's not necessary to give up a rook and give White some chances to resist.
48.Qe7+ Kb5
Diagram #8
White will eventually run out of checks and cannot stop Black from queening his e-pawn, so he resigned.
For example, if 49.c4+ Kxa6 50.Qa3+ Kb7 51.Qe7+ Rc7.
A great fighting game by the eventual Capablanca Memorial champion!
from resource
http://www.chessity.com/blog/339/How_to_Play_Dynamic_Middlegame_Positions
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Gioacchino Greco
Gioachino Greco, also known as "Il Calabrese", was born around 1600 in Celico, which near Cosenza in Calabria. Calabria had already produced such players as Leonardo di Bono and Michael di Mauro. From his writing it's apparent that he wasn't well educated and likely came from a lower class family. Already in 1619, Greco started keeping a notebook of tactics and particulary clever games and he took up the custom of giving copies of his manuscripts to his wealthy patrons. In Rome Monsignor Corsino della casa Minutoli Tegrini, Cardinal Savelli and Monsignor Francisco Buoncompagni all received copies (of which there are extant copies, dated 1620 in the Corsiniana library in Rome, under the title, Trattato del nobilissimo gioco de scacchi). Despite his popualarity in Rome, in 1621 Greco took off to test himself against the rest of Europe leaving this paper trail as he went. In 1621 he left a fine copy of his manuscripts with Duke Enrico of Lorraine in Nancy. He traveled to Paris where he played Arnauld (Isaac) de Corbeville, Enrico di Savoia (the Marquis of St. Sorlin and the Duke of Nemours and Geneva) and others. He had apparently been quite successful because in traveling from Paris to England he was waylaid by robbers who divested him of 5,000 scudi, a supposedly princely sum. Finally making it to London, he beat all the best players. Sir Francis Godolphin and Nicholas Mountstephen were given copies of his manuscripts. While in London, Greco developed an idea to record entire games, rather than positions, for study and inclusion in his manuscripts. He returned to Paris in 1624 where he rewrote his manuscipt collection to refect his new ideas. He then went to Spain and played at the court of Philip IV. There he beat his mentor and the strongest player of the time (other than himself), don Mariano Morano. He finally returned to Italy where he was enticed to traveling to the New Indies, the Americas, by a Spanish nobleman. He seemingly contracted some disease there and died around 1630 (possibly as late as 1634) at the young age of 30 (34). He generously left all the money he earned at chess to the Jesuits.
Gioachino Greco stood head and shoulders above his comtemporaries, a feat seldom duplicated. David Hooper, in The Oxford Companion to Chess, states that Greco probably made up the games in his manuscripts. The question of whether he actually played the games or invented them is rather moot since if he invented them, he was perfectly capable of playing them.
Gioachino Greco never published a book yet his influence was felt beyond Italy and throughout Europe. In 1656 his manuscripts were published in London by Henry Herringman, the book to be sold at his shop at the sign of the Anchor in the lower walk of the New Exchange. The translation was prepared by Francis Beale with Peter Stent as engraver. It bore the cumbersome title:
The Royall Game of Chesse-Play.
Sometimes The Recreation of the late King, with many of the Nobility.
Illustrated with almost an hundred Gambetts.
Being the study of Biochimo [Gioachino] the famous Italian
The Royall Game of Chesse-Play.
Sometimes The Recreation of the late King, with many of the Nobility.
Illustrated with almost an hundred Gambetts.
Being the study of Biochimo [Gioachino] the famous Italian
A French edition, Le Jeu des Eschets; Traduit de l'Italien de Gioachino Greco Calabroiswas printed in 1669 by Perpingvé in Paris and again in 1689 by Jacques Le Febvre in Paris
Here is an exerpt from The Royall Game of Chesse-play
Chap. VI. Observations in playing the game. Having now discovered the places, removes, guards, worth and Prerogative of each piece, I will now shew you some observations in the removall of them ...
The first thing therefore you are to indeavour is, to get the first remove, for it is of great advantage : for which gamesters strive severall wayes according to their agreement between themselves, but when a game is ended he is to have it, who winneth unlesse you make it otherwise. Now for the first draught it is generally esteemed best to remove the Kings pawne two houses [1. e2-e4], because if not prevented (by the like play) you may still move that pawne forward with good guard, which will be very prejudiciall to the adversary.
The first thing therefore you are to indeavour is, to get the first remove, for it is of great advantage : for which gamesters strive severall wayes according to their agreement between themselves, but when a game is ended he is to have it, who winneth unlesse you make it otherwise. Now for the first draught it is generally esteemed best to remove the Kings pawne two houses [1. e2-e4], because if not prevented (by the like play) you may still move that pawne forward with good guard, which will be very prejudiciall to the adversary.
The second thing observable is to play your men in good guard of one another, that if any man you advance be taken, the adverse piece may be taken againe by the piece which guardeth yours : and to this purpose be (of all things) sure to have as many guards upon one of your pieces, as thou seest the enemy doth advance of his upon it.
Thirdly, that thy guardes be of lesse value than the pieces he assaileth withall, for then if either he or you begin to take you shall gaine something, if you finde you cannot well guard your piece, see whether you can advance some piece of yours in guard to take a better piece for so you may many times save your endanger'd piece.
Fourthly, never change piece for piece untill you get the advantage either by taking a Pawne or Noble man of his for nothing, or disordering a Pawne or two of his which is of very materiall consequence.
Fifthly, take great heed that you doe not choak up your own passage from advancing your men, and retiring on all occasions, but indeavour by all meanes to take that liberty from your adversary.
Sixthly, never play any man untill you have examined whether you your selfe are free from danger, and to that end upon every remove of your adversary, consider of what consequence the advancing and retreating of your adversary may prove, and indeavour (if it may be hurtfull) to prevent it before it be too late.
Seventhly, consider the maine designe of the game, which is as suddenly as can be to give check mate, that is as I said before, so to check the adversary King, as that he can neither take the piece checking, because it is guarded, not cause it to be taken, nor cover the check, nor remove out of check, which may be done severall wayes, so that sometimes by the losse of one or two of your great men, yea, sometimes of your Queen you may give an unexpected mate, as you may often observe in the following Gambetts : I shall therefore omit to discover unto you the manner of the surprizing the Rookes or a queen, or the making a new Queen, of which you shall have plentifull examples in the Gambetts.
Lastly, never let your Queen stand so before your King, as that your adversary may bring a Rooke or Bishop to check your King if she were not there, for then you will hardly be able to save your Queen, nor let his Knight come so safely, that he cannot be taken up to check your Queen and King or your Rooke, and King at one time, for then you will loose your Queen or Rooke, since the King must be forced to remove out of check.
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Greco goes on to mention that a stalemate is a win for the player who is stalemated, and describes something called a "Blind Mate."
"A Blind Mate is, when one giveth check mate but seeth it not, yet it is neverthelesse a Mate, though a disgracefull one."
"A Blind Mate is, when one giveth check mate but seeth it not, yet it is neverthelesse a Mate, though a disgracefull one."
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Gambett III[The moves are given as in the original, along with modern algebraic in brackets.]
White kings pawn two houses [1. e4]
Black kings pawne the same [1...e5]
White kings Bishop to the queens Bishops fourth house [2. Bc4]
Black kings bishop the same [2...Bc5]
White queen to the kings second house [3. Qe2]
Black queen to the same [3...Qe7]
White kings bishops Pawn two houses [4. f4]
Black pawn take the contrary pawn [4...exf4]
White kings knight to his bishops third house [5. Nf3]
Black kings knight to his bishops third house [5...Nf6]
White queens pawn two houses [6. d4]
Black kings bishop checks at the contrary queens knights fourth house [6...Bb4+]
White queens bishops pawn one house & covers [7. c3]
Black kings bishop to the queens rooks fourth house [7...Ba5]
White kings pawn one house [8. e5]
Black kings knight to his rookes fourth house [8...Nh5]
White king changes [9. 0-0]
Black king changes [9...0-0]
White kings knight to the kings house [10. Ne1]
Black Queen to the contrary kings rooks 4th house [10...Qh4]
White kings knight to the queens third house [11. Nd3]
Black kings knight pawn two houses [11...g5]
White queene knight to the queenes second house [12. Nd2]
Black queens bishops pawn one house [12...c6]
White queenes knight to the kings fourth house [13. Ne4]
Black kings knight to his second house [13...Ng7]
White knight takes the contrary kings [bishops] pawn [14. Nxf4]
Black kings knights pawn take the contrary knight [14...gxf4]
White rook take the contrary pawn [15. Rxf4]
Black queen to the kings second house [15...Qe7]
White knight checks at the contrary kings bishops third house [16. Nf6+]
Black king to his rooks house [16...Kh8]
White queen to her Kings fourth house, &c. [17. Qe4]
Greco also gave us a counter-gambit bearing his name:
The Greco Counter Gambit: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5
[Greco's analysis of the Greco Counter Gambit appeared in his very first manuscript, entitledTratato del nobilissimo e militare esercitio de Scacchi nel quale se contengano molti bellisimi Tratti e la vera Scienza di esso Giuoco composto da Cioachino Calabrese, which he dedicated to the Duke of Lorena in 1617.
The opening was renamed the Latvian Gambit at the FIDE Congress, 1937 to reflect the work of the Latvian players, such as Karlis Betin, who analyzed this opening deeply.]
The opening was renamed the Latvian Gambit at the FIDE Congress, 1937 to reflect the work of the Latvian players, such as Karlis Betin, who analyzed this opening deeply.]
Here is the above game:
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
UFO crash lands in China
Resident in the Heilongjiang province in China reported seeing three UFOs darting across the sky and apparently one of them came crashing down into in a man's vegetable garden.
According to Chinanews.com, villagers in Mengchang saw three objects falling from the sky this morning. Soon after they heard a "huge piercing sound," and a huge ball of flame came crashing down into the vegetable garden of one of the villagers.
What they found in the garden looks straight out of a science-fiction movie. It appears to be a large metal ball covered by a layer of jagged material. According to China Radio International, China Central Television news is reporting the object to be about 2 and a half feet wide and weighing nearly 90 pounds.
UFO crash lands in China
UFO crash lands in ChinaUFO crash lands in China
UFO crash lands in ChinaUFO crash lands in ChinaUFO crash lands in ChinaUFO crash lands in ChinaUFO crash lands in China
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